Not necessarily mike. A Vocal 'Harmonizer' is the biggest reason IMO to get a Vocal Processor or have a good one included in a Keyboard. That is; the 'harmony' feature. Making you sound like not just 'one' person but like a Choir of 3 or even 4 persons. It can make you sound like your singing a 'duet' (two singers at once) or 'triplet' (three singers at once "all together"). Granted, some Vocal Harmonizers have Pitch correction for the 'Lead' singer, ie., you/ me. I would say all Harmonizers have Pitch correction for the 'harmony voices' but I'm not positive about that. The more expensive ones have Pitch correction for the 'Lead' voice (you, me, etc.) Some include Vibrato for the 'harmony voices and even the Lead voice'. If you (no reflection on you personally) can't carry a tune in a bucket you'd be very surprised by how well an excellent Vocal Harmonizer can make you sound regardless of how well you can actually sing yourself. In fact Cher is a good example of a Vocal Processor making a bad singer (by nature) sound good or better by comparison. Vocal Processors are getting better and better and soon they will make even a Barney Fife sound like Pavarotti... Well, not quite; but you get the picture. PS: Some Studio Production Mastering Engineers and other Studio Production personnel regard these Pitch correction tools the work of the Devil. By the simple fact that now anybody can sound good regardless of a natural gifting, talent, and hard work. Being able to sing well takes hard work and practice (besides any natural innate ability) for, I would guesstimate, 95% of all singers. Even the born naturals though sometimes they won't admit it, take at least some type of Vocal teaching/coaching courses or Vocal technique training. I could see why some Studio Music Production personnel feel as they do. It can give Joe Blow or Jane Doe a great singing voice with absolutely none of the hard work, devotion, dedication, desire, countless hours training, and gifted talent that a true Singer has to endure to sound good or great or exceptionally great. You put your heart and soul and every ounce of your being into becoming an exceptional singer and Joe Blow or Jane Doe pulls the rug right out from under you so to speak. Go figure. My personal opinion is once somebody/everybody finds out you use a Pitch correction [Lead voice] Processor like the "Antares AVP-1" the wind will immediately go out of their sails realizing the voice they are hearing is NOT really yours at all but a Computer modified, manipulated and enhanced version of your voice. In other words; a fake version of your real voice/singing capabilities. And as the saying goes: "Oh what a tangled Web we weave when once we practice to deceive." PS: If a person knows upfront that you are using a Lead Voice Pitch correction Processor then he or she would know from the get go that what they are "hearing" isn't necessarily what they are "getting" in actuality. But at least the deception has been revealed and acknowledged and the truth has been made aware of. If you can keep the secret a secret then really there is no harm no foul imo. But if you Gig, I for one would hide that sucker the best I could for fear of word getting out - "Hey, Mike's a fake", he he. On the other hand if you could care less what people think or how your singing career turns out then I salute you and at the same time think you're being foolish. So it's better to fess up from the get go or don't use one at all in my opinion.

Vocal 'Harmonizers' like the one on the Tyros, etc., do NOT correct the Lead singers Pitch but only the Harmony pitches. Vocal Processors that use Vibrato in the Harmony and or Lead Voices are quite acceptable also. But Vocal Processors like the Antares AVP-1; well, just talk to many Music Production experts and see what they tell you as to their viability and place in the Music production process. Many of them will sure give you their honest take about them and won't pull any punches and believe me it may not be the opinion you were hoping for.

Best regards,
Mike

PS: mike, you can email me at my yahoo address if you want. It is: seekfinder@yahoo.com

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 11-09-2003).]